| re: Surprised off Broadway and cabarets haven't opened....any info? | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 07:59 am EDT 03/24/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Surprised off Broadway and cabarets haven't opened....any info? - ryhog 06:05 pm EDT 03/23/21 | |
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| I think we'll learn a lot more when theatres begin opening in the West End - if the current schedule holds for 50% audiences, 1 meter distanceing from mid May, 100%, no distancing (but still masks) from late June. At last count 26 shows are set to open from mid May thru October. Under protocols issued by the Government. Putting audiences aside, the Vienna State Opera has streamed 3 operas live from their stages (with no audiences) with no ill effects reported amongst cast, crew, chorus and orchestra. One was a new production of CARMEN which they also had to rehearse extensively. The Salzburg Festival did 105 performances with 50% audiences in August, with only one staff member testing positive - and therefore not allowed in any buildings of the Festival. The Royal Ballet has done a series of performances, some with small audiences, some with no audiences, with no ille effects to dancers, orchestra, or crew and staff. The Berlin Philharmonic has been playing their entire season (in empty hall) with no ill effects. Its lucky for us that other countries are going first - and countries with equally serious health issues - so we will know how this works. Will anyone end up testing positive? Probably, That risk will likely continue for a year or two, diminishing. Especially for anyone refusing vaccines. Do I bash unions? Well - yes I do on occasion - because there are rules that make our industry next to impossible. I can do a cast album of a musical for $35-40,000 in London. $250,000-300,000 in the USA. Why? Unions. I recently looked at two budgets side by side, for a musical that started OB, transferred to Broadway, and then to The West End. The identical show. Even some of the same cast. To pay to load in, set up, and tech the show? Broadway, $1.2 milion. West End $105,000. Why? Unions. Its not their fault, I will readily say, alone. From decades the SHuberts negotiated all of the union contracts unilaterally - their only goal was never to have their theatres shut down. During these decades they gave away everything - which the League has been trying (very hard) - to claw back from in every negotiation. Salaries and benefits are not exorbitant, especially for those of us who live and work in the NY area. But its the add ons. And the work rules, And the craft lines. Having produced a lot in the West End, Europe, and US, there are great people in our biz everywhere. I was sitting in a West End theatre during a tech rehearsal for a new play. The final scene was not quite working write. I saw my director and set designer huddled at the back of the theatre, the designer drawing. I went over, and they showed me that they were working on a new scenic solution to the final 5 minutes of the play, which required an effect. Our crew head noticed the three of us. He asked what we were working on. The designer told him. The crew head said, "Sound great. Listen, we (the crew) don't have much to do during techs, a friend has a scene shop not too far away. When you have drawings we'd be happy tp go obver to the shop and build it for you. You're paying us anyway. We'd be happy to do something for you. It's your time!" That's why many of us love working in London. Because everyone is on the same team. ANd works a 40 hour week. At some point Broadway will have to reform its model - I don't mind paying someone $3,500 a week (or more) for salary benefits and taxes. But I'd kind of liek a 40 week in return, not show calls. As just one example. |
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